NCd because I'm identifiable, have been vague where I can to not out myself. I'm in a quandary, please advise me wise MNers.
An acquaintance who is living outside of the UK is planning on applying for an entry visa for their spouse who is a non-EU national (under more favourable EU regulations) to move to the UK permanently. In order to qualify for this route the EU spouse must have lived and worked in another EU state before returning to the UK with their third national spouse (Surinder Singh route). This is a perfectly legal thing and is not an abuse of the EU rights of free movement.
However, this person is not working but has arranged for their spouses relative to make them a 'contract' and provide them with payslips and an employers letter etc etc all to fraudulently obtain an EEA family permit for their spouse. I am 100% this is the case as they have admitted it to me after several months of asking my advice (I know an awful lot about this route to the UK, DH is a non-EU national). Part of me is pissed off because I know a lot of people who have had to rely on this route to bring their spouses to the UK (financial threshold for bringing a foreign spouse to the UK is ridiculous) and I don't want to see it abused as it leads to UKVI cracking down on genuine applicants and making it harder for everyone else. I told them it was a bad idea because they could be caught out and was told that it's fine because the relative knows what story to tell if they call to verify employment.
I feel very strongly about this but I don't know if it's morally okay for me to report them? And if I do, how? Also, due to the nature of the application the non-eu spouse will not receive a 10 year ban or be punished, their spouse would just have to actually have genuine & effective employment in the host state for a minimum of 3 months. They are planning in trying their luck at the border for an entry stamp rather than applying for the permit in advance.
No "the Uk is full" bollocks please, I am very pro freedom of movement within the EU but this doesn't sit right with me. Feel free to tell me it's none of my business though & well done if you got through all that!